Voting 12-9 on party lines, the Senate Budget Committee adopted its budget resolution, which targets broad spending limits for Clinton's five-year economic plan. The committee's version would cut $41 billion in spending from Clinton's plan and raise $22 billion more in taxes, primarily from the wealthy. The remaining $33 billion would be saved through reduced government borrowing and accounting changes.

Throughout a series of votes, Democratic senators rebuffed Republicans in their efforts to alter the budget package. The GOP amendments called for reducing cuts in defense, eliminating increased taxes on energy and Social Security payments and creating a line-item veto. Democrats refrained from offering their own amendments.

"It sounds like you think we just walked out of Independence Hall and invented government," said Sen. Ernest Hollings (D-S.C.), referring to the Republican senators who offered the amendments. "But we've got a big problem," he said, referring to the deficit.

During more than six hours of debate, Republicans argued that the Democrats' modified budget lacked specifics, and they blasted Clinton for not sticking to campaign promises.

But the 21-member Budget Committee's job is not to be specific but rather to set annual spending targets for defense, energy, agriculture and domestic and foreign spending.

Its resolution acts as a guide for congressional spending and, once it is established, appropriation committees will draft the actual spending bills for fiscal 1994, which begins Oct. 1.

The Senate budget resolution, a five-year plan totaling $502 billion compared to Clinton's $473 billion plan, scales back the president's investment program in infrastructure, education and science and technology by stretching it out over five years rather than his proposed three.

The House Budget Committee passed its budget resolution Wednesday night. Speaker Thomas Foley (D-Wash.) said although there are likely to be some "minor adjustments" to the measure, he expects the budget package to be taken up on the House floor next week.

The Senate version is also expected to be on that chamber's floor next week, with 50 hours of debate scheduled. The Senate is likely to vote before the Easter recess, aides said.

After the votes, the two houses will have to reconcile any differences in their versions, but Foley said he did not anticipate problems.